Cora Johnson, 102, devoted to her family

IT WAS NOTHING short of a miracle that Cora Green Johnson could keep track of her eight children and nearly seven dozen grandkids, great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids.

But she did.

"She checked on friends and family daily, all over the United States," her family said. "She never missed a special occasion for any of her offspring. She had a way of making each person feel very special, and shared a unique bond with each family member and friend."

Whether friend or family member, she most likely said to you at one time or another, "I love you and I love everybody and God bless everybody, 'cause this is a wicked world we're livin' in."

Cora, a native of Louisa County, Va., and a deeply religious woman, died Sunday, a day after her 102nd birthday. She lived in West Philadelphia.

She was born to Corrine Green and George Washington Pullian, and was raised by an aunt, Octavia Smith, in Virginia after her mother's early death.

She came to Philadelphia at age 16 where she met and married the love of her life, James Pleasant Johnson.

She was baptized in the Rising Sun Baptist Church, in Virginia, and after arriving in Philadelphia, she attended various churches around the city.

Cora loved checkers and card games. In fact, her family said, there wasn't a card game she didn't know how to play.

Everybody called her "Grandmom," not only her entire extended family but neighbors around her home, on Hirst Street near Master.

When departing from her, you didn't dare say "goodbye." She insisted on "so long." She didn't like the idea of permanent departures.

Grandmom had a repertoire of pithy sayings. One of them was, "Hang in there till the sick get better." If you asked her where she was going, she'd say, "My name is C.J. and I ain't gonna let no grass grow under my feet."

Asked how she was feeling, she'd say, "I'm as fine as any silk thread off a spool," or "I'm walking with my cane in Jesus' name."

For advice, there was, "Don't take no wooden nickels," or "Put God at the steering wheel."And, "Every shut eye ain't sleep and every goodbye ain't gone."

She is survived by a daughter, Florine; four sons, Harold, Henry, Eugene and Calvin; a stepdaughter, Nevada; 20 grandchilden; 30 great-grandchildren, and 33 great-great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband; two sons, Alfred and George; and a daughter, Gladys.

Services: 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, 60th and Callowhill streets. Friends may call at 6 this evening at the Yarborough and Rocke Funeral Home, 1001 N. 63rd St., and at 9 a.m. at the church. *